proto type grips...............

[rugerguy]

here is something MOST folks get a chance to 'see'..........

have no clue as to what the "whole story" may be,just Laura has had them since the late 70's............
she's at work, and I get to 'play' :roll:

 

[radicalrod]

Well I can see why the "OLD MAN" said NO WAY :lol: :lol: :lol: they are just as hideous today as they were back then :roll: :roll: :roll:

I once heard a story that one of the employees had this mold and made them up and sold them at the shows....all kinds of colors and all "EXPERIMENTAL".....so RUGER168 whats the scoop inquiring minds want to know.....RR.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I have always kinda liked the black version, but some of the others are truly tacky.

JMHO

 

[rugerguy]

yes we had heard stuff like that also goes back to the days of the "sales" staff at any given convention selling this or that...remember all the "salemans" sample 10 /22 clear mags, that were put together "after the fact"..but bottom line, it would be a bit MORE complicated than "just some employee having the mold"....they may have known a guy or two, who worked in a "mold or grip" shop, and who knows who "took" ( stole) how much a out of ANY given office or storage over the years, things that came to the "old man" for evaluation & consideration of sales and use,,,that happens in business ALL the time,,,,,look at all the gun cases that had Ruger logos on them, that came out of Tom Rugers office, THAT story was, that Tom (Bills son) was one who did and got "stuff" for evaluation, consideration.........hell I knew a guy back at Zippo who could make me or get me ANYTHING put on one of their lighters................wait till someone figures out "how" and from "who" ( whom) they can get Ruger boxes "reproduced", they been doing Colts for over 15 years now!!! Look on e-bay, boxes AND labels, and I would NOT , ever buy one of them 10/22 mags, on a bet, as I KNOW as I was given 6 of them myself back at the either it was the 1991 or 1992 NRA convention, either Nashville or was it Salt Lake City.....

 

[radicalrod]

Well if ya didn't pay 150 or more for one why not buy it.....part of collecting is also collecting the fringe things like later made clear 10/22 mags made from left over or even new parts....part of the history of the way things were done....right or wrong is not for me to decide....RR.

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Here is a black set that about 100 were produced and a set that is solid brass only one produced.

Here are some other variations.

Jack Behn was in charge of that project. I had talked with jack about these just a couple months before he passed away. If I remeber correctly they were done about 1976. I was more interested in knowing if the solid brass grips were done at the factory. As he recalled his memory was very vague that I am sure we did those over at Pine Tree we did all kinds of crazy stuff. He had said they would play around with diffrent things and then he knew how crazy collectors were and sell the stuff to them.

 

[radicalrod]

Rick, you show them with an old FT but if they were made in 1976 are the grips XR3 RED ? I have never seen a set of these in person and was just curious ???? That was kinda the story I had heard about these....he was right....silly collectors will buy anything :shock: :shock: :shock: guilty as charged :lol: :lol: :lol: RR.

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Rod, That was a picture I may have used for a past calendar. just showing various types of guns and memorabilia. If you notice the folder is from 1979 and I would have to look but the button from the bank is from the 1980's ??? I have all the paper work for that. One of those deals put so much money in our bank a certain amount of time and they gave you a Ruger firearm.

 

[rugerguy]

Rick, that was the same story we were told, and at a few different times, and some of the same folks...these would be at the Monroeville Ruger theme shows back in the late 70's early 80's...the 'clear' 10/22 mags were a few years later, and heck, look what they did with the 40th anniversary 10/22 came out the clear mags again...ta daa
Now add into the "soup" what some of the collectors were also doing in and around this same time with all the stag and ivory grips...................hhhmmmm, and swapping parts around to make up different variations,no wonder my wife got upset with all the shenanigans and games that were being played...........

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Ah, yes, "screwdriver variations".

 

[radicalrod]

Almost all RUGER variations are just a screwdriver away :lol: :lol: :lol: maybe a punch set too :roll: :roll: :roll: gotta do ones homework......BOOKS too.....and then have a small amount of faith in ones fellow collectors see ya RR.

 

[rugerguy]

wish I could, but way before I started to "collect" my Rugers, I went as a guest, helped laura and sat with, and spent lots of time with our good friend Doris Campbell, (may she rest in peace) and she and I would "watch" the things that went on behind the scenes, BY and between, and TO, your "fellow" collectors........ 8)
Bob was NOT kidding when he coined that term "screwdriver variations"............. :wink:

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Bob's THE MAN!!!

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Robb Barnes]

I remember a couple of years ago I had a nice Ross gun and wanted to find a set of factory ivories for it. I knew they would be expensive but that was not a problem. What was a problem was the "education and behind the scene stories" I was warned about by several people as far as what was factory, what was home modified etc. I finally decided that collecting Rugers was not my thing since I am a pretty simple black & white kind of guy and not too into the intrigue and cloak and dagger stuff. I will stick to the custom conversion game since I know what I am getting when I commission a custom Ruger. This is not a condemnation of the collecting community but simply a collector newbies persective on some of "intricacies".

 

[rugerguy]

Good point Robb and there is nothing wrong with one "having the look", put what YOU want on your gun, I happen to like the look of ivory myself,but its NOT for shooting.......BUT before I would pay the LONG dollars for any of that stuff, you gotta do your homework, and yes, even the "experts" have been fooled and gotten burned in th past................I'm lucky, we have TWO pairs of so called "factory" ivory and I ( we) paid a total of $350 for BOTH pairs, so I could care less what anyone "thinks, feels, suggest, or passes judgement on " ( makes their opinion)...the opinions are at times, based on who is the buyer and who is the seller....and the other criteria is "are they mine or somebody elses..." easy to say yes or no, right or wrong. they are after all , just ones opinion, and like BUTTHOLES,,,,,,,,we all have one
yessir, all part of "Ruger lore" and just another story in the world of gun collecting,Ruger ain't the only one, see and watch the OTHER 'big" two, S&W and Colts and watch them boys in action!!!! :shock:
( they've been 'faking' boxes and labels for years now, look on e-bay!!!!) 8)

 

[Robb Barnes]

I am like you Dan, I have developed a real liking for ivory over the last several years. These are the current ivory equipped toys living here now with a couple more out at the artists for completion.

 

[Doc4429]

Ivory is my favorite on single action revolvers and I have had several pairs made by Jim Alaimo at Nutmeg Sports. He made the pair on this factory engraved and gold inlaid NM Blackhawk 44 Magnum.

Bill

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Outstanding pic's of some Outstanding Handguns!
Terry

 

[rugerguy]

as well as some really NICE ivory grips, and no matter WHO makes or sells them, they ain't cheap, even Colt lists them at $700 plus............seen them sell for Rugers, NO medallion, and at $500.........

but we still like to see them .....................